Today’s Advent piece originated with plainsong back in the mists
of Christianity, so: Latin. The opening lines of “Rorate Caeli” translate to “Drop
down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just. Let the
earth be opened and send forth a Saviour.”
The chant featured in regular Advent services devoted to Mary,
known as the Rorate Mass. I don’t recall ever having attended one (they were weekday/Saturday
masses, and kinda got sidelined during the Second Vatican Council), but I would
like to. They used to be held in the early morning, which seems to me to be a
good way to start out a workday during Advent.
In the Anglican tradition, the opening lines translate to “Drop
down, ye heavens from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness.” I
believe we could use some of that these days.
Anyway, seems appropriate to have a version sung by Maîtrise Notre
Dame de Paris, which is a music school in Paris. Notre Dame meaning Our Lady.
If you’d like something closer to the original, here’s one (cannot
tell who the group is):
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